Instruments mounted within instrument panels of vehicles, such as boats, must be securely mounted to withstand the harsh conditions to which they may be subjected. The importance of securely mounting instruments within an instrument panel is particularly apparent for fast-moving vehicles which typically subject the instruments to even greater forces. In terms of boats, the instruments must withstand substantial forces acting on the instrument and the instrument panel resulting from choppy or rough water conditions. Furthermore, forces resulting from acceleration and deceleration of the boat may also produce substantial forces on either or both the instrument or the instrument panel. Often times, these forces are cyclical, particularly when the forces affecting the instrument and instrument panel are due to deceleration and acceleration forces.
The forces acting on the instrument and the instrument panel tend to loosen the mounting of the instrument within the instrument panel. Moreover, once an instrument begins to loosen, the instrument will tend to continue to loosen since the instrument will experience greater relative motion with respect to the instrument panel. The loosening of the instrument may impair the performance of the instrument and, more typically, may structurally damage the instrument and/or the instrument panel due to the relative motion therebetween.
Accordingly, it is necessary to securely mount the instruments within the instrument panel to withstand these varying and often times harsh conditions. The mounting mechanism securing the instrument to the instrument panel must thereby be mechanically stable to prevent relative movement between the instrument and the instrument panel regardless of the conditions experienced by the boat. As will be apparent, the more firmly that the instrument is secured within the instrument panel, the more durable and reliable will be the instrument. Yet, the mounting used to secure the instrument is preferably economical, lightweight and relatively easy to manufacture and install.
The mounting mechanism must also be easily accessible to service the instrument. This requirement is particularly important in light of the limited access provided by the confined space behind a dashboard, such as the dashboard of a boat. Moreover, once access is achieved, the mounting mechanism should permit easy removal and/or repair of the instrument.